'Morning Joe's' Jonathan Lemire mocks Trump's claim Putin wants Ukraine to 'succeed'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: MSNBC’s 'Morning Joe' panel reacted skeptically on Monday, December 29, to comments made by President Donald Trump suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to ‘succeed’, following Trump’s weekend meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The discussion came as the show’s hosts reviewed Trump and Zelenskyy’s summit at Mar-a-Lago, where the two leaders met to advance a proposed 20-point peace framework aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war.

While the meeting itself was described as constructive, Trump’s characterization of Putin’s intentions prompted pushback from panelists.

Trump claims Vladimir Putin is 'very generous'

During a press conference on Sunday, Trump was asked about his recent phone call with Putin.

Trump said that the Russian leader was "very generous in his feelings towards Ukraine succeeding" and suggested Putin had discussed the possibility of providing energy at a reduced cost if a resolution could be reached.

The remarks quickly became a focal point of discussion on 'Morning Joe'.

Jonathan Lemire's reality check

Jonathan Lemire challenged Trump’s assessment during Monday’s broadcast.

"Let’s just take that comment there from President Trump," Lemire said. "No, I don’t think Russian President Vladimir Putin is invested in Ukraine’s success."

Lemire laughed as he noted that Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine and continues to pursue territorial control.

"He’s the one who invaded in the first place," Lemire said. "He’s the one still with aims to conquer it."

Lemire added that while the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting appeared to go more smoothly than previous encounters, Putin’s decision to speak with Trump shortly before Zelenskyy arrived complicated already difficult negotiations over territory.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visible reaction

Lemire also pointed to Zelenskyy’s reaction during the press conference.

He noted a moment when the Ukrainian president appeared to smile and look down as Trump spoke about Putin’s intentions.

"There is a cutaway shot of Zelenskyy’s reaction, and he almost burst out laughing," Lemire said. "He just couldn’t believe what he was hearing."

The program replayed the footage, showing Zelenskyy briefly smiling before regaining his composure.

Zelenskyy strives to maintain diplomatic posture

Co-host Katy Kay said Zelenskyy appeared to be working to maintain a diplomatic posture despite the remarks.

"He’s trying very hard to be the diplomat," Kay said.

She argued that the core issue in the conflict remains Russia’s actions, not Ukraine’s.

"The problem is not Ukraine. The problem is Russia," Kay said.

Kay added that she was unsure what Trump meant by Ukraine "succeeding," suggesting that, from Moscow’s perspective, success could mean Ukraine falling under Russian control.